Important to note that libraries to integrate with Ethereum exist in many popular languages:

Ruby - https://github.com/izetex/web3-eth and https://github.com/DigixGlobal/ethereum-ruby

Python - https://github.com/ethereum/web3.py

TypeScript/JS - https://github.com/ethers-io/ethers.js/

Java - https://github.com/web3j/web3j

Go - https://github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum

PHP - https://github.com/sc0Vu/web3.php

& more.

Also - lots of tools to get started:

QuikNode.io - boot nodes or JSON RPC access

Infura - JSON RPC access

Ganache - Fork live network for local dev

OpenZeppelin - library for building smart contracts

Remix - IDE for ethereum.

The article above left a bit to be desired TBH

How are people using this in practice?